Forget Your Own Name
by wowsugarpuss
Summary: Glee and Rachel are changing Finn's life a little.


Rachel turns up on his door step one Saturday morning. Finn is still in bed and when his mom hollers that there's a girl here to see him his first thought is—how did Quinn escape a hangover after last night?

A bunch of them had hung out in the bed of Puck's truck while Devon stayed DD and drove around town. Quinn did a handstand in the middle of them all and nearly knocked half the team out onto the sidewalk with her sloppy landing. After that she settled herself in Finn's lap while they downed the rest of the beer one of the guys stole out of his dad's garage.

So when his mom says a girl is at the door it's not just the hangover that's confusing Finn.

He doesn't know if it makes more or less sense for Rachel to be stood primly on his front step in a plaid skirt and pink cardigan with a large notebook clutched to her chest. She has a big smile on her face but the expression is tense.

"Finn." She nods in greeting.

"Uh, hi… Rachel."

It takes Finn a long moment to realize that his mom is still hovering behind him and Rachel is still standing outside.

"Oh, um, this is Rachel, mom."

Finn feels himself get pushed to the side as Rachel thrusts out a hand enthusiastically.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Hudson."

His mom meets the gesture half-way and beckons Rachel into their house.

"I'll be back, gimme a minute…"

Finn stumbles back to his bedroom. He's still wearing his boxers and a t-shirt from gym. He pulls on a pair of track pants and stops down the hall on his way back to the kitchen to splash some cold water on his face. It doesn't stop the pounding under his temples but he's able to open his eyes fully now.

Rachel is chattering furiously with his mom but he can tell something is off. She speaks just a little too fast. She's nervous. He's not sure when he started noticing little details like that about her but they do spend a lot of time rehearsing together after school. It was bound to happen.

When he reaches the kitchen Finn grabs a bottle of water from the fridge and turns to face the two women who are now staring at him. He takes a long swig, clears his throat, and then asks, "What you doing here?"

"Finn!" his mom reprimands.

He shoots her a look and she makes her excuses to head out to the yard. Finn tries hard to ignore the way Rachel's face has fallen.

"Well, you weren't in Glee yesterday so I brought you the new song we worked on. I thought maybe you'd want to practice before we meet on Monday."

"Oh, yeah. Sorry." He doesn't make any excuses.

Rachel knows where he was last night or at least she knows the gist of it. He was with Quinn and the team. He bailed on her for his friends. It's nothing personal but of course with Rachel everything is personal.

She pushes the notebook into his arms awkwardly. "There. If you don't understand anything, call me."

She turns on her heel and marches out the door.

"Wait, Rachel—" he protests weakly.

She doesn't stop and he hears her call, "Goodbye Mrs. Hudson. It was lovely to meet you!" on her way back to her car.

Rachel's only just got her license and her dads bought her this ridiculous tiny girly car that she's in love with and Finn doesn't think he could fit one leg into. He hears it take off down the road.

He sighs and pads barefoot out to where his mom is sat on the dying front lawn in her deck chair. Slumping down on the grass beside her he takes another swig of his water.

"She seemed nice. Are you guys dating?"

"No mom, I'm still seeing Quinn."

"Right."

Her tone says it all.

His mom really doesn't like Quinn. Finn thinks it's part her high school experience with cheerleaders and part her experience with the pretty blond Pick n' Save girl that Darrell ran away with.

Of course it could just be Quinn. Even he can admit she's not the sweetest girl in the world.

Finn only half remembers falling into a relationship with Quinn. It was some sort of girls' choice dance at McKinley which shouldn't have made him break a sweat but did. Finn knew who Quinn was, everyone knew who Quinn was, if the football team had one collective target it was Quinn Fabray. Still, even after all the props from his friends Finn was surprised when she sauntered primly up to him after practice one day—her hands clasped behind her back in a way he thought was supposed to make her look innocent but really just thrust her chest out towards him—and asked if he would like to go to the dance with her.

He stuttered out an acceptance and she told him she would be wearing blue. Finn had no idea why he needed to know that until his mom fussed about the whole dance and sent him out the day of to buy flowers in a complimentary shade.

He didn't think much about the chastity deal at the time, Quinn was a cheerleader after all, she spread her legs during school activities. How hard could it be to have her do it after hours? Before he knew it Finn was four months in with a super hot girl he had nothing in common with and no under the shirt action.

Quinn doesn't like Glee. Finn doesn't really care. He barely sees her anymore between football, cheerleading, chastity club and Glee. When he does, like last night, they're more like acquaintances who tamely make out than an actual couple. It's just easier not to break up with her than anything else.

There are already ridiculous rumors about him and Rachel.

Finn doesn't look at Rachel's notebook Saturday. He goes back to bed when the morning sun rises high enough in the sky to aggravate his headache, sleeps through lunch and spends the rest of the day slumped on the couch watching whatever game shows his mom has on the TV while she talks deliberately too loud.

Late that night when he's finally starting to recover Finn cracks open the almost new binding. All that's inside are Rachel's fresh notes in her slightly slanted handwriting. She leaves him a short message at the beginning explaining everything.

She signs it: Regards, Rachel Berry.

There's a little gold star sticker after her name. He smiles at that. He imagines she must carry a pack of them around with her. Finn wonders what the bank does if she signs her checkbook like that.

When he turns to the next page Finn realizes he's out of his depth. There are instructions about 'the key of G' and talk of 'modulating on the bridge.' He knows what most of the things mean in a very vague way but he has no idea how to implement them. When he gets to the choreography Finn gives up. He closes the book and lets it unceremoniously drop onto the floor next to his bed before he attempts to fall asleep yet again.

His mom getting ready for church the next morning wakes up Finn. He hasn't been in… a while. It's not that he doesn't believe—he's not really sure—but he definitely doesn't want to wake up early and spend all morning in the cold, dull church squeezed into an uncomfortable bench between his mom and old Mrs. Harper from down the street. So he hasn't been to church since the last holiday service when his mom made him dress up and go with her.

He doesn't know if Rachel goes to church. It seems a bit presumptuous to just turn up on her doorstep Sunday morning and expect her to be there but that's what she did to him yesterday and he doesn't really want to call. He's not sure why. Maybe because he feels like he should apologize for how rude he was yesterday and that doesn't work well over the phone.

He showers and dresses quickly, grabbing Rachel's notebook before he heads out. His mom has the car at church so he walks. If he were smart Finn would get a job and save up for his own car but he's already struggling in school as it is without more things cutting into his non-existent study time.

There are three cars in the drive outside Rachel's house. He's knows which one it is because he's been there to throw eggs or TP the garden plenty of times before he met her. The fact that her dads are home makes Finn nervous. It's every boy's worst nightmare: not one dad to meet but two and he's not even dating Rachel. He pities the poor guy who does… because of the dads, not because they'd be dating Rachel. She's cool in her own way, when she's not upset with you.

He rings the doorbell and before he can get nervous the large front door is briskly swept open. Rachel is on the other side still in her cute little plaid ensemble, holding a glass of orange juice.

"I'm sorry I missed Glee," he blurts out.

Rachel's face softens the tiniest amount before she raises her chin defiantly. He's still head and shoulders taller than her but somehow she makes Finn feel small in that moment.

"Just don't do it again. I don't know how I'm expected to carry the team to Regionals if I have to deal with a flakey male lead too. I know I'm good but I'm only one person, Finn."

He can't help but smile. "Sure, Rach."

She rolls her eyes at him a little and reaches out to tug on his wrist. "Come inside. My dads are baking. You can test cupcakes and I'll explain my notes."

"Maybe I don't need you to explain your notes."

"Yes, Finn, and I'm joining the Cheerios. Come on, I don't want you wasting our time on Monday… plus some of the cakes are strawberry."

Finn grins warmly down at her and shrugs. It's becoming increasingly difficult for him to say no to Rachel. He follows her inside, handing over her notebook, and wonders when his life became duets and dancing and strawberry cupcakes.


End file.
